I saw Siemens’ new appliances, and I never knew I needed an AI steam oven until now
The Siemens iQ700 studioLine Oven just went to the top of my kitchen appliance wishlist
by Bethan Morgan · T3
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I was recently invited to Siemens’ London HQ to attend its Cooking Experience. Aside from getting to eat a delicious meal that us attendees got to help prepare, I got to see the new Siemens oven and induction hob range in action, and it made me really want an AI steam oven.
What immediately caught my eye – and what we used to make the perfect cheese souffle – was the Siemens iQ700 studioLine Oven. Described as the oven that ‘scans and knows’, I was initially skeptical of the Siemens iQ700 Oven as I really don’t like AI being used in appliances – until now.
The new Siemens iQ700 Oven has sensors and a built-in camera inside the oven that’s powered by AI. When you put your meal or ingredients inside the oven, the Siemens iQ700 Oven recognises what it is, before automatically selecting the right programme, temperature and timings.
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The Siemens iQ700 Oven can detect and distinguish between 80 dishes, and it can also understand when the oven is empty, has food inside it or is being used to heat plates. Once the Siemens iQ700 Oven selects the right programme, it can also switch between different modes, including grill, steam or microwave, to achieve the best cooking results.
In terms of design, the Siemens iQ700 Oven is made from smooth, dark glass, and a touchscreen display as its control panel, rather than knobs or buttons. The screen also shows images of your food as it scans it, and you can click through to answer its questions and manually control the oven.
The handle of the Siemens iQ700 Oven is made from glass, and is black, so it blends into the design of the oven. Alongside its manual and AI controls, the Siemens iQ700 Oven is also compatible with the Siemens Home Appliances app, so you can check on your food’s progress using your phone.
As I mentioned before, I’ve never really gotten on board with AI in appliances, but after seeing how the Siemens iQ700 Oven works, I might be convinced otherwise. As part of the cooking demonstration, one of the Siemens chefs put broccoli in the oven, and the oven immediately detected what it was.
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An image of broccoli instantly popped up on the oven’s screen, and it asked follow-up questions to better understand what it is and how it needed to be cooked. For example, the screen asked if the broccoli was fresh or frozen, before recommending steam or roast programmes to cook it. I was really impressed by this.
Speaking of steam, the Siemens iQ700 Oven has a steam function that is great for cooking vegetables, and other foods where you want to keep the moisture in, and cook in a more healthy way. What I was most impressed by was how it steam cooked rice.
I always get nervous when making rice because I can never get the quantities right. I’d never cook it in an oven, despite the current crispy rice craze that took over social media this past summer, but the Siemens iQ700 Oven made the best steamed rice I’ve ever had.
The Siemens chef put uncooked rice into a basket before covering it with water. She then placed the rice and water into the steam oven, and minutes later, the Siemens iQ700 Oven made the fluffiest rice I’d ever had – you definitely wouldn’t know it was made in an oven, that’s for sure.
There’s a lot to like about the Siemens iQ700 Oven, and after seeing – and tasting – it in action, it may have convinced me to make the switch to an AI-powered model. Prices on the Siemens iQ700 Oven start at £1,349 and it’s available at Siemens and John Lewis.